Wild
by JadeDjo
Summary: Hiking AU where Hiccup and Astrid meet while hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. Inspired by the movie WILD.


_So, I should be working on **Top Dragon** or **Ragnarok**, but this happened. NSFWish So enjoy!_

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She had been on the Pacific Crest Trail or PCT for nearly three weeks and she had passed him twice while he had passed her three times. And every time they'd stop and chat for a few minutes before one or the other pressed on. Even though it was only for a few minutes, a half an hour the last time, it made the time on the trail all the lonelier.

She tried to brush it off. After all she hadn't come out here to hook up. She had started this 2600 mile journey to find something in herself she'd lost. But the third time he passed Astrid, he had said he would be at Agua Duke for a few days and hoped he would see her there.

With his tall frame, auburn hair, emerald green eyes and lopsided grin, Astrid made sure to push herself and hope he was still there when she arrived.

Toothless nickered softly and Hiccup looked up to see what had caught his attention while he was currying the horse's coat. Past the few tents of people taking a break from the trail in the Agua Duke campground he saw her walking straight for the paddock he and Toothless were in.

Even trail worn she looked beautiful. "You made good time," he said as Astrid dropped her pack and resupply box next to the fence.

"I wanted to make sure I caught you before you tow moved on," she said then shrugged and smiled. "And you promised to make me your famous trail stew."

"I did, didn't I?" Hiccup said smiling in return. "Why don't you go get your camp set up over there," and he pointed to his own red tent. "I've still got to finish with this big guy," patting Toothless' neck. The black mustang bobbed his head in apparent agreement and she laughed. A light tinkling sound that made him grin like an idiot and eased the burden on his heart. "I'll be over in a little bit."

She gave Toothless a forehead a pat and said, "Alright," before turning and heading off in the direction of where he pointed.

It was only when his friend turned his head to give Hiccup a nudge with is muzzle that he realized he had stopped brushing the horse's coat to stare as Astrid walked away. He scratched Toothless' ears and finished currying his coat. But maybe in a little less time than he might ordinarily put into it.

It was 2 weeks after they decided to travel together and one and half months after first meeting when he asked, "How come you've never asked about the leg?" They were camped for the night but it wasn't dark yet. The sun had yet to touch the horizon. Seated side by side after having tended to and hobbled Toothless and a simple dinner of trail bars, they watched the sun sink towards the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Astrid looked over at him and for all intense and purposes he looked relaxed. But she had been hiking with him for 15 straight days and she could make out the tension in his jaw. Then her eyes traveled down to his left leg which ended just below the knee and finished off in a fairly high tech looking prosthesis. She directed her gaze back to the silhouette of jagged mountains before answering, "If you wanted me to know, you would tell me."

"That's not what most people say," he replied. Even thought she was still looking away she could feel his gaze on her.

"I'm not most people."

He chuckled, "No, you're not." He then lapped into silence.

Astrid sensed that he had more to say and stayed silent. Sure enough he started speaking again and she turned to face him.

"For most people it's the first thing out of their mouth. When they find out it's, 'How did it happen?'" He said looking down at his false foot.

"I'm sure it's personal and like I said, if you wanted me to know you'd tell me."

"Ask me," he said quietly still staring at his prosthesis.

"What?" she questioned, not sure she understood.

"Ask me what happened," he clarified and looked at her.

She looked into his eyes and they caught the dyeing light turning them an even more intense green. As she looked she silently asked for permission and saw him give a slight nod in acceptance.

"How did it happen?" She asked quietly

Hiccup let out a long breath and started speaking not braking eye contact. "It was a car accident 10 years ago. I was 15 and driving. My mom was in the car teaching me even though most kids in the backwoods of Montana know how to drive ATV's at the least. But knowing how to drive your dad's pickup isn't unusual. But Mom wanted to make sure I actually knew what I was doing." He stopped and she could tell he was lost in the past. His eyes had an unfocused look of a person looking inwards and seeing something only they could see.

"We were going through an intersection and had the right of way. Next thing I know I'm waking up in a hospital bed and my foot was gone. My Dad explained to me later that some fool ran through the stop sign and t-boned us. It was a big F-350 versus a Corolla." Stopping again, he swallowed before continuing. "Mom was…killed, instantly. Something in the car crumpled and pinned my leg so bad they had to cut if off to get me out."

Here he had to take a breath and collect himself and turned his gaze back to the now fully hidden sun. "But the worst was finding out my mother had died and they'd buried her while I was in a coma for a month. To me, when I woke up, it was like I'd just seen her yesterday."

He stayed silent after that and Astrid didn't know quite what to say. "I'm sorry" seemed inadequate especially for something that happened a decade in the past.

Eventually he spoke again. "I've never told it that way to anyone before."

"Why did you?" she asked truly curious.

"Because I wanted you to know."

"Thank you," she said, touched by his trust in her.

"For what?"

"For letting me know."

Three months. Hiccup had known this woman for three months. In some ways he knew her better than the woman he thought he would marry. In other ways she was a complete mystery to him. Like now for instance. What did she mean when she asked if he wanted to come bathe with her? Did she mean _with_ her or bathe _her_? Whichever the case Hiccup found himself leading Toothless down to the lake's edge for a drink and then following Astrid down the shore with soap and washcloth in hand.

She quickly stripped and waded into the water with her own soap and cloth while he followed suit. After months of traveling together, of being in each other's company 24 hours a day and no privacy other than when nature called, they had quickly gotten over nudity with each other. But this whole situation was new. Bathing was one of the few times they gave each other space. But now she'd broken that unwritten rule and asked him to join her.

And he wasn't sure it was such a good idea as he tried not to watch her soap up first her neck and upper chest. Then lower as her hands lathered up her arms then her breasts. As she was only waist deep he got an unobstructed view as her hands ran under each breast before running up and over each nipple leaving them hard in the cooling mountain air and cold water. She quickly dunked herself washing off the soap and wetting her hair at the same time.

"Hiccup," she sing-songed as she raised her arms over her head to wash her hair. Her creamy white breast raising with the movement. He blinked his eyes back to her face and was suddenly glad the water was as cold as it was.

When his green met her brilliant blue he could see an amused smirk as if she had just staged the whole thing. Blushing, he mumbled, "Sorry," as he turned away and started to lather himself.

He could hear her chuckling ten feet away. "You know," she teased. "If you wanted to look all you had to do was ask."

His head whipped back to her but she had already dipped below the water's surface to rinse her hair. When he heard her surface again he had his back firmly to her and dragged out his own cleansing to give Astrid time to finish and go back to camp first and give himself time to think. By the time he lead Toothless back to camp and food, Hiccup had come to only one conclusion. She wanted him.

After he finished preparing the stallion's feed bag and affixing it to his neck Hiccup turned to find Astrid right behind him. He had been just about to go find her when her lovely mouth was on his and her hands were in his still wet hair. It took a minute before his brain could request some of the blood that was rushing south. When it was finally able to send signals to his hands again they circled her waist and brought her body fully against his.

They kissed, exploring each other's mouths while hands roamed over still exposed skin until her hands grabbed his and started to lead him back to the center of their little camp. Once there, she pulled him down with her to his sleeping bag. It normally was used as a seat before they retired for the night. Now it would serve as a bed as clothes were hastily removed, again.

Astrid was reaching for the fly of his pants as her breasts, once again exposed to the mountain air, taunt nipples rubbing against his bare chest, when his brain caught up with his body again. "Wait, Astrid," he said against her mouth as her hands stroked him through his now open fly. He groaned and grabbed her hand and said, "Wait."

"Why?" she almost wined.

"What about protection?" he reasoned. "I didn't exactly come on the PCT to get lucky." Though he'd almost bought a pack of condoms two towns back and had only put them back because Astrid had just told him a few days before about her asshole ex-boyfriend and how he'd put her off men for a while. It seemed she was interested again.

Giving him a devilish smile she broke his loose grip on her wrist and, sans shirt, ducked into her tent. He flopped back on the sleeping bag and tried to slow his beating heart. Hike 10-15 miles a day, no problem. Kiss and fondle his beautiful hiking companion and he was almost breathless.

Said companion returned a moment later with the same pack of condoms he'd almost bought, triumphant. He couldn't help but laugh. "You are one prepared woman."

"No, I just know what I want when I see it."

"And you want a one legged hiker with a sassy horse?" he said in disbelief.

"It's why I bought these," she said shaking the pack of condoms and straddling his waist at the same time. "Now, where were we?"

She was stupid, Astrid chided herself. She'd left Hiccup a 100 miles or so back and now she couldn't even remember what had started the stupid argument. All she knew was that she was sitting in front of one of the most beautiful places she'd ever seen and she just wanted him there beside her to share it with. She had reluctantly admitted to herself that she was lonely and she missed him.

One week and she missed his lopsided smiles, his sarcastic wit, siting between his legs in front of a warm fire and leaning back on his chest to gaze at an impossible number of stars while he pointed out constellations to her, his long fingered hands on her bod as they made love under the same stars. And it wasn't even the sex she missed most. It was his very presence as they hiked in comfortable silence. The easy companionship they'd developed after four and a half months together.

One week out of four and half months. She laughed to herself into the silence of nature around her. A week in any of her previous relationships would have been nothing. With her busy work schedule it would have gone by in the blink of an eye. But out here, all alone with nothing but the thoughts in her head and the occasional bit of wildlife, a week felt like an eternity.

The Crater Lake campgrounds should be just another day's hike. She would stop there and wait for him and apologize.

It had been four days and still no Hiccup. She didn't think he was that far behind her. Two or three days at the most but as the sun set on her fourth day camped at the Crater Lake stopover she was beginning to get worried. What if something had happened to him? What if he or Toothless were hurt or seriously injured? Astrid resolved that if they didn't show up tomorrow she would travel backwards and find them.

Then a new thought entered her mind. What if he was avoiding her? That he didn't want to see her? She knew he would never turn back. He and Toothless had hiked the Appalachian Trail and half of the Pacific Crest trail, they would finish it. But what if he was delaying on purpose to put distance between them? He had looked so hurt as she'd packed her things and stomped out of their camp. He'd called her name, told her to wait, but he'd made no move to stop her. She just didn't know and wrestled with her conflicting emotions all night.

By first light Astrid had nearly convinced herself not to go look for Hiccup and Toothless. But she kept replaying the last time she'd seen him and the hurt in his eyes. That should have been enough to at least stop her and tell him she just needed time alone to clear her head. That she was too angry to talk. But all she'd said was, "Goodbye, Hiccup," and left.

It was with that in mind Astrid packed up her stuff intending to find him and mend the break between them and at the very least make sure he was ok.

The sun still hadn't reached its zenith when she heard it. A horse neigh and a tired, slightly nasally voice say, "I know bud, but I can only go so fast."

It was them! Astrid's heart leapt into her throat. He didn't sound hurt and now as the sound of hooves and boots on the trail came nearer she wondered if he really had been delaying because he didn't want to see her. Well, that was just too bad for him, she thought. It was for her sake that she started walking again. If they couldn't fix what they'd had, she at least wanted to part amicably.

She was so caught up in what she would say to him that it was a surprise when he called her name.

"Astrid?" he said, confused. "What are you doing here?"

Stopping dead in the middle of the trail she took him in. Hiccup was a little more worse for wear then he should be for camping in the wild. And he was leaning on one of his hiking poles as if it was a cane rather than an extra balancing tool. Looking past him she noted that Toothless also looked like he was ready for a good long rest. His black coat was marred with dirt and dust and his head was hanging by his owners shoulder.

"I thought you would have moved on by now," he continued while she took them in.

"I was waiting for you," she confessed. "I… didn't want to leave things the way I did."

He had been warily eyeing her as if she would start spewing fire any moment but softened at her admission. "I missed you," he said sincerely and that was all it took.

Rapidly closing the distance between them she threw her arms around his neck and admitted, "I missed you too."

The momentum of both her and her pack crashing into him sent them both backwards until she was leaning against him and Hiccup was leaning against Toothless who was supporting them both. The black mustang turned his muzzle to her hair, breathing in her sent before nibbling at her bangs as a kind of hello.

Releasing one hand from her hold on Hiccup she reached up to stroke the stallion's muzzle. "I missed you too buddy," she smiled never breaking her gaze from Hiccup's. "I missed both of you."

The end. They had reached the end of the PCT. All 2600 miles of it. When the trail maker in British Columbia had first appeared in their path, Astrid had instantly dropped her pack and ran, exuberant, over to it. Ecstatic that she was here, at last and that she'd actually don't it. Walked the whole thing.

She turned, expecting Hiccup to be right behind her and sharing in her excitement over their accomplishment. However, he was still near Toothless, leaning against the horse's neck and whispering to him. After giving Toothless a pat on the neck he dropped his own pack and pulled out a small, silver canister she'd never seen before. And after six plus months together, practically living in each other's back pocket, that was saying something.

But she could tell this wasn't just a water bottle or snack jar. The reverence with which he handled it spoke volumes making her stand back, giving him space.

He stared at the canister for a long moment, running his hand down the smooth side and took a deep breath before moving towards the trail marker. She dropped back to stand next to Toothless and absently began to stroke his cheek watching as Hiccup knelt in front of the marker, shoulders slumped and head bent.

He started to speak, not to her but to the silver canister in his hands. Even in the quiet forest she could barely make out what he said.

"We made it Dad," he said and brought the canister to his forehead. "I made it."

She gasped as the realization of what he said struck her. "I know it was supposed to be just you, me and Toothless but… Dad, if you could've met Astrid, I know you'd love her jus…," and he stopped. His voice breaking, thick with emotion. "Just like I do."

With a hand over her moth and a steading hand on Toothless' flank, she watched as he dug a small hole at the base of the trail marker and slowly and carefully opened the canister. He tipped it over his left hand and a small amount of his father's ashes fell onto his hand. Setting the canister down gently he took some of the black earth and mixed it with the grey ash. Once combined to his satisfaction he placed the mixture into the hole he'd dug and smoothed it over with the remaining dirt. Patting it down before whipping his hand on his pants, Hiccup grabbed the canister and bowed his head.

Astrid stood still as stone as he patted the earth one more time and made his way back towards her. Stopping just with just a breath of space between them, he reached up a hand to her face and wiped away a tear she didn't realize had fallen. "Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered. "You said he'd been in an accident…,"

He took a deep, cleansing breath, "He did. I was training a new mustang we'd just got. I was so sure I could train him just like I did Toothless, just like I did dozens of others. But this one, he was so spooked. I turned my back for a second and he reared. Dad had been watching, he…, he, he pushed me out of the way. The mustang's hooves struck his head. The doctors said, they said he was brain dead. That they could keep his body alive but he would never wake up again."

"Oh Babe, I," she started to say but he moved his hand from her cheek to gently silence her lips.

"I didn't tell you because I had the doctors turn off the life support only two weeks before I started on the PCT. He and I were supposed to hike it together. So I brought his ashes, like I'd done for mom on the Appalachian Trail." He stared into her eyes, and she could see all the pain and conflict reflected in them. "Then I met you and I felt like I was betraying him in some way. By enjoying my time with you and for forgetting about him being gone. But then I remembered something he said to me after mom died. 'What do we do when those we love can't be here with us? We celebrate them.' And my father was always one to celebrate life."

The tears were falling down her cheeks like small rivers and he wiped them away with his thumbs as his hands framed her face. "Thank you," she said, putting her hands over his.

"For what?"

"For choosing to celebrate life with me."

Ten years later Hiccup Haddock became the first amputee to finish the Triple Crown of Hiking. With Astrid and their 3 children by his side he laid his friend to rest at the end of the Continental Divide Trail in Glacier National Park.

Toothless had been by his side for more than 7900 miles and now his offspring had carried the Haddock family on this one last adventure. Giving their friend and beloved companion his finial resting spot, surrounded by the beauty of the wild that the mustang had always enjoyed and a spirit that had never been extinguished in his heart.


End file.
